08 September 2011

It is September isn't it? It's been so darn hot in Phoenix ... it's hard to get out and shoot cool pics when it is so hot. I'm ready for cooler weather! So in keeping with the cooler weather arriving soon, hopefully, I pulled these late afternoon shots from my archives.

As soon as the weather cools down, I can get my 'big guy' (aka Traveler's Grandson) working and we will be riding in the mountains featured in the shot below.

Ride on over to Skywatch Friday to view skies from all over the world. Many thanks to the Skywatch team for hosting every week.

03 September 2011

Hello September … fall is not too far away.
It’s been a really busy week!
I’m glad for the three day weekend. Labor Day ---

Sunday
1. Called into work … Yes, sir! I’ll take the hours. I'm there in thirty minutes.
2. Curmudge got up this afternoon, very late. His tongue, lips and face were ridiculously swollen. Time to go for help. Off to the Emergency Room we go. He's admitted and sent to ICU on a ventilator.
3. My sis is without power in Massachusetts after Irene makes her debut as a tropical storm.

Monday
1. Up really early, scheduled for early start at work. Construction trucking is like this, hours are irregular. I"m so glad I'm not working at night like some of the crew is.
2. Curmudge still on ventilator in ICU. I talked to the nurse who told me he is alert, which is very good news. I’m way too hot and tired to go visit.
3. Traveler snorted at me... covered me in horsey snot.... I suppose he was none too happy that I hadn’t scooped the poo out of his pen early. Cleaned his pen and water barrel and gave him carrot treats, he forgives me.
4. My kitty's have missed me today. They are huddling for attention. I guess they're upset because Curmudge isn't here to keep them company while the cat nap the day away.

Tuesday
1. Up early again. An even earlier start than yesterday… We moved 1500 tons of aggregate from Scottsdale Airport back to our yard in South Phoenix. I thoroughly enjoyed the easy, steady as you go kind of stuff, today.
2. Curmudge is off the ventilator and alert, tho still in ICU. Stopped by to see him, and we had a short visit. He says he’ll be coming home tomorrow or Thursday …. I haven’t talked to the doctors so I don’t have a clue and have to go on his word. We’ve been here before.
3. Traveler is glad to see me, he needs fresh water again. The kitty’s are glad to see me too and hover around the front door as I try to get in (arms and hands overloaded with stuff that has to come inside) without them tripping me or escaping between my legs.

Wednesday
1. Excellent shots of the sunrise this morning. I will use them for Skywatch Friday this week.
2. I didn’t have to report for work until 730 and that was for a two hour safety meeting about substance abuse. I spent the better part of the late morning and early afternoon with one of the other lady drivers. She is considering moving into ‘town’ from Apache Junction to be closer to work. I showed her where I keep Traveler (she has horses too), then we drove around the neighborhood. I showed her where I live. Then we stopped for a ‘Subway’ Sandwich.
3. Curmudge is still in the ICU, alert and chomping at the bit to come home again. They’re not ready to release him just yet.
4. Animals all good, happy and content. I’m tired.
5. Yay! Power is restored to my sis's neighborhood! I've missed our evening chats this week.

Thursday
1. Up early … not scheduled for work, going to show up and see if they can find something for me to do. Well? It ended up being an eleven hour day! I can’t complain much, I want the hours, though I am really tired. Needed to get errands done, not today, maybe tomorrow? Traveler is running low on feed, kitty’s too, the cupboards are bare at home.
2. Curmudge says don’t come by, he knows I’m tired. He’s still in the ICU.
3. Hoping for a later start for work tomorrow, maybe sleep in an extra hour? Not happening! Scheduled very early…
4. I did get my Skywatch Friday pics posted, tho.

Friday
1. Yup, early out of the yard, an hour drive to load asphalt. Ew! I’m not a fan of asphalt, it’s horribly messy, and this stuff is 'rubberized' so it sticks worse than the ordinary asphalt does, never mind that it does not come out of clothes. This is the job and it pays the bills. First load on, headed for the dump site and pulled over by the friendly DPS officer in Gold Canyon, AZ on US 60 for a level 2 DOT inspection. I’m so glad this company has nice equipment, just a minor write up for window washer fluid. I didn’t have any. Last load of the day, I’m under the silo getting loaded and I’m watching the product roll off the sides of my truck. Oh, yes. I’m positioned right under the silo where I should be. Heeeheee, the guy making the mix isn’t paying attention and overloads me. I had to go ‘pinch off’ 5 tons of hot, hot material. Thankfully, I had the assistance of two other drivers for this feat, otherwise I might still be trying to get it right. Load off and the bossman aka owner sees the material isn’t quite all out of my dump. There might have been 50 pounds in the bed of the dump. We head to the yard for a more thorough clean out (in the excessive heat). I spent an hour getting the clean out done and was satisfied, I'd be good to go again on Tuesday morning. The bed of my dump is spanking clean now.
2. It’s time to head over and take care of Traveler.
3. I’m done in and I want a beer.
4. The errands I haven’t been able to get done this week will wait until tomorrow morning ..... because I'm going to kick my feet up and have that beer! I've earned it.

Saturday
1. I actually slept in this morning. Errands that must be done today! I picked up feed for Traveler. I walked around in circles in the grocery store … I had a list. Funny thing, I know this grocery store inside out and backwards… I haven’t got a clue why I did the circles thing. Home again, groceries away.
2. Collect up some things to take to Curmudge who has been moved out of ICU and into another room. I don’t know when he’s coming home…he says, maybe tomorrow, maybe not until Monday. He’s alert. There are a lot of staff wandering in and out of his room, he seems to be confused about all the different comments and suppositions that he can hear being made. I think they're scratching their heads too. … he's in a teaching hospital, so a lot of different staff is not unusual. I expect it’s because it’s a holiday weekend and the usual staff is off. I spent a couple of hours with him and came home to write this …
3. I sort of semi-burned the potatoes I was cooking for potato salad later. They’re salvageable anyway. I’ve invited a few friends for ribs, potato salad and coleslaw later on. It’s still hot outside. I'll have to get my mister cleaned out and running for us to be able to sit outside with any kind of comfort until the sun goes down.

Maybe a little cooler later on, chance of a thunderstorm? I‘d rather some rain than this excessive heat and dust storms. We’ve had more than eleven days of excessive heat warnings. August turns out to be the hottest month on the all time records for the Phoenix Metro area.

I know it’s September. My favorite time of the year for a few reasons. My son was born in September and so was I, but it’s not just that. The fall seasons comes, the air starts to dry out mornings become crisper. The early clouds will start to look colder. I wish I was back east where I could take a drive and see the fall colors… ahhhh the memories.

I’ve had a good week, albeit busier than I’ve been used to. I didn’t expect to jump into this job with both feet, but I’ll take it…. It’s good to be working again!

About Me

Great rivers are born from drops of water. Opportunity is never lacking in life. Never shy away from hard work. End the day feeling the satisfaction that comes from a job well done!
The biggest compliment you can give a person is to accept him/her just as he/she is.